Energy budgeting and carbon footprint of different wheat-rice cropping systems in China

Xiangbei Du; Min Xi; Lingcong Kong; Xiaofei Chen; Ligan Zhang; Hongcheng Zhang; Qigen Dai; Wenge Wu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163102

Energy budgeting and carbon footprint of different wheat-rice cropping systems in China

Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jun 25:879:163102. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163102. Epub 2023 Mar 24.

Authors

Xiangbei Du¹, Min Xi², Lingcong Kong¹, Xiaofei Chen¹, Ligan Zhang³, Hongcheng Zhang⁴, Qigen Dai⁴, Wenge Wu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Crop Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, Anhui Province, PR China.
² Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, Anhui Province, PR China.
³ College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230031, Anhui Province, PR China. Electronic address: zhligan@ahau.edu.cn.
⁴ College of Agronomy, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
⁵ Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, Anhui Province, PR China. Electronic address: wuwenge@aaas.org.cn.

PMID: 36966835
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163102

Abstract

Wheat-rice cropping system in China, characterized by smallholder with conventional practice, is energy- and carbon-intensive. Cooperative with scientific practice is a promising practice to increase resource use while reducing environmental impact. However, comprehensive studies of the energy and carbon (C) budgeting of management practices on the actual field-scale production under different production types are lacking. The present research examined the energy and C budgeting of smallholder and cooperative using conventional practice (CP) or scientific practice (SP) at the field scale level in the Yangtze River Plain, China. The SPs and cooperatives exhibited 9.14 % and 6.85 % and 4.68 % and 2.49 % higher grain yields over the corresponding CPs and smallholders, respectively, while maintaining 48.44 % and 28.50 % and 38.81 % and 20.16 % higher net income. Compared to the CPs, the corresponding SPs reduced the total energy input by 10.35 % and 7.88 %, and the energy savings were primarily attributable to reductions in fertilizer, water, and seeds through the use of improved techniques. The total energy input in the cooperatives was 11.53 % and 9.09 % lower than that for the corresponding smallholders due to the mechanistic enhancements and improved operational efficiency. As a result of the increased yields and reduced energy inputs, the SPs and cooperatives ultimately increased energy use efficiency. The high productivity attributed to increased C output in the SPs, which increased C use efficiency and the C sustainability index (CSI) but decreased the C footprint (CF) over the corresponding CPs. The higher productivity and more efficient machinery of cooperatives increased the CSI and reduced the CF compared to the corresponding smallholders. Overall, the SPs coupled with cooperatives were the most energy efficient, C efficient, profitable and productive for wheat-rice cropping systems. In the future, improved fertilization management practices and integration of smallholder farms were effective means for developing sustainable agriculture and promoting environmental safety.

Keywords: Carbon footprint; Energy use efficiency; Field scale; Wheat–rice rotation.